What is a Trusted Advisor?

CPAs are frequently designated a client’s “Most Trusted Advisor.” We are entrusted with the intimate details of a client’s business and personal financial matters. Our objective analysis, advice, and technical expertise qualify us for “MTA” status. The question is – Is being a technical expert enough? Let’s take a look at some differences between a technical expert and a trusted advisor. Which one would you choose?

A technical expert sees client service through a firm-centric, reactive lens.
A trusted advisor sees client service through a client-centric, proactive, holistic, and collaborative lens.

A technical expert views himself as client “overhead.”
A trusted advisor views himself as an investment in his client’s business.

A technical expert is narrowly focused on the “task at hand.”
A trusted advisor broadly focuses on client “wants” and gives advice beyond his core competency.

A technical expert’s mission is to deliver high quality tax and accounting-related services.
A trusted advisor’s mission is to help a client define and achieve success.

A technical expert is driven by the fear of losing a client.
A trusted advisor is driven by the satisfaction of helping a client.

A technical expert reluctantly refers other professionals to a client.
A trusted advisor readily connects others to his clients.

A technical expert is concerned about competitive pricing pressure.
A trusted advisor understands his value and earns the right to premium price his services.

A technical expert can’t articulate why he is different from other CPAs.
A trusted advisor can easily answer the question “why should I do business with your firm?”

A technical expert does not make the time to know his client and rationalizes “numbers are numbers.”
A trusted advisor makes it a point to understand his business, his client, or his industry.

A technical expert fears collaboration with other professionals.
A trusted advisor relishes the leadership role in a multi-disciplinary approach to solving or preventing client problems.